Boat Advertising

[getinmerry]

As a subscriber to a couple of boating magazines and collector of boat brochures, I've noticed a trend over the last few years:

In about 50% of boat manufacturer ads and about 65% of manufacturer brochures (purely unscientific numbers) you'll notice that a woman is driving the boat they're trying to sell and a guy is riding shotgun like a loyal puppy dog.

I have nothing against this. HOWEVER- I spend LOTS of time on the water and the average in real life is about 1% of boats I see has a woman driving. It's a drastic difference from print to real life.

In trying to figure out why they're targeting women I drew the following conclusions:

1. Women really rule the boat advertising world.
2. Men aren't capable of buying a bowrider without a woman's input.
3. Nice eye candy.
4. Men buy boats using their pants for thinking.

Am I way off on this?

Chuck

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Boat Advertising

I think that currently as women are working outside the household, they have more income and are more influential in family type purchases (boats, cars, etc) than in the past.

 

[JB]

Re: Boat Advertising

Men think they are going to get the chick with the boat.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Boat Advertising

I know a couple that are lesbians, there is always a woman in the captains chair on that boat. Additionally it seems a girls day out is a popular pastime on the lake here so its women at the helm there also. But you are correct, in general it seems to be a good ol'e boys club. But I figure it's cause we can not sit there and look pretty so we've got to be doing something.

 

[DJ]

Re: Boat Advertising

In trying to figure out why they're targeting women I drew the following conclusions:

1. Women really rule the boat advertising world.
2. Men aren't capable of buying a bowrider without a woman's input.
3. Nice eye candy.
4. Men buy boats using their pants for thinking.

Am I way off on this?

Chuck

Your're right and you're wrong.

Get used to it. Women have the checkbook. (another issue altogether). If it's not right, to them, it's wrong. They are a MAJOR decision maker.

Women are 51%+ of the population. Again, get used to it.

A good salesperson does NOT talk down to the wife/partner-whatever. Many do, to their loss.

Women, in our society make many financial calls. If you have a problem with that, you're thinking may need some re-work. See above.

Sorry about that but that is the way it is.

Selling boats to women is actually, much easier. They know what they want, men don't.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Boat Advertising

women have come a long way in the last 50 years.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Boat Advertising

A good salesperson does NOT talk down to the wife/partner-whatever. Many do, to their loss.

DJ is bang on. I've seen this happen first hand with 2 old school salesmen, with my wife. I could tell immediately from the look on my wife's face it was over, but she still likes to toy with them like a cat with a mouse, bat it around, and then let it go injured.

 

[modernrocketry]

Re: Boat Advertising

If you look at the brochures for the yachts...
It's always the mid 60's guy driving with the mid 20's girl on the sunpad.

Wait -- that's usually the way I see it in real life also... Huh?!?!?!?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Boat Advertising

I know that my wife has 0 interest in driving the boat or even the truck for that matter.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Boat Advertising

My wife almost always drives and I love it that way.

 

[Colorado04]

Re: Boat Advertising

They don't need to sell the boat to the "guys". If were in the dealership, most likely we already decided that we want one.